Can you listen to audio books on an e-reader?
Yes. As long as the e-reader you have purchased has a headphone jack
or built in speakers, you will be able to listen to audio books on your e-reader. The newest Kobo e-reader, the Vox, has both built in speakers, as well as a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, although the previous versions do not. The Sony Reader Wifi PRST1BC, the Amazon Kindle (Touch edition through to the newest Fire), and the Barnes and Noble Nook all offer stereo headphone jacks so that the user may listen to audio books, and in some cases even mp3 music files.
Yes. As long as the e-reader you have purchased has a headphone jack
or built in speakers, you will be able to listen to audio books on your e-reader. The newest Kobo e-reader, the Vox, has both built in speakers, as well as a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, although the previous versions do not. The Sony Reader Wifi PRST1BC, the Amazon Kindle (Touch edition through to the newest Fire), and the Barnes and Noble Nook all offer stereo headphone jacks so that the user may listen to audio books, and in some cases even mp3 music files.What are the advantages/disadvantages to having an e-reader versus a tablet?
This is a difficult question to answer on some levels. Traditionally, e-readers were designed specifically for the application of reading e-books, and therefore their uses are limited. Once tablets began to emerge on the market, the makers of popular e-readers decided that they wanted to capitalize on the tablet market as well, thus bringing us the newest e-reader versions with many of the same features as a tablet. For more information please see the blog post entitled Give the Gift of E-Reading.
TABLET
|
TRADITIONAL
E-READER
|
MODERN
E-READER
| |
Advantages
|
Can read e-books
|
Can read e-books
|
Can read e-books
|
Apps available
|
Apps available
| ||
Keeps the reader concentrated on
reading ONLY
| |||
Book reading apps allows for easy download straight to the tablet
| |||
Can listen to
audio books
|
Can listen to
audio books
(MOST devices)
|
Can listen to
audio books
| |
LCD screen
|
eInk Pearl screen
| ||
Approx. 1 month
battery life
|
Approx. 1 month
battery life
| ||
Touch screen
|
Touch screen
| ||
WIFI capable
|
WIFI capable
|
WIFI capable
| |
All the capabilities of a computer at your fingertips
|
Some capabilities of a computer at your fingertips due to WIFI
| ||
User/password protected accounts
|
User/password protected accounts
|
User/password protected accounts
| |
Examples
|
iPad, iPad2,
Android Tablet, Blackberry Playbook
|
Kobo WIFI,
Sony PRS-505,
Amazon Kindle Touch
|
Kobo Vox,
Sony PRS-T1BC, Amazon Kindle Fire
|
TABLET
|
TRADITIONAL
E-READER
|
MODERN
E-READER
| |
Disadvantages
|
Not designed specifically for reading books
| ||
Easy to get sidetracked with apps/internet
|
Easy to get sidetracked with apps/internet
| ||
Must install additional free software on your P.C. to sync
SOME books
|
Must install additional free software on your P.C. to sync books
|
Must install additional free software on your P.C. to sync books
| |
eInk screen not as easy to read as LCD
|
eInk Pearl screen not as easy to read as LCD
| ||
Slow transitioning
| |||
D-pad navigation
(not touch screen)
| |||
Approx. 6 hours battery life
|
Approx. 8 hours battery life
|
(Updated 01/07/12)
Do you have to purchase books with your e-reader?
No, you do not HAVE to purchase books with your e-reader. Although the option to purchase books is always available with whichever e-reader company you are using, you are also able to borrow e-books from your local library using the Overdrive system. For more information please see the question “Can you take e-books out of the library to use on your e-reader?”.
Can you take e-books out of the library to use on your e-reader?
Yes! The County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives participates in electronic book lending with a program called Overdrive. Overdrive uses your current library card number and pin (which can be supplied to you by any library staff with computer access) to allow you to borrow e-books that are available on Overdrive. For more information on how to use Overdrive and how to sync your e-books with your e-reader, please see the I’ve Got My E-reader... Now What? blog post, or come into the library and ask one of our helpful staff in the computer lab. Please note: As of right now, Amazon Kindle products do NOT support library use outside of the United States.
Which e-reader is better?
This is a difficult question to answer as it usually depends on personal opinion. For a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages between traditional and modern e-readers, as well as tablets, please refer to the question “What are the advantages/disadvantages of having a tablet over an e-reader?”. This will also provide you with various examples of e-readers to allow you to do your own research into which e-reader or tablet is the best fit for you. You may also wish to check out the E-readers: Which is Which, or Give the Gift of e-Reading blog posts.
Can you listen to audio books and read e-books with your computer?
Yes! You can listen to audio books and read e-books on your desktop or laptop computer as long as you have Adobe Digital Editions (free software found at http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/ ) for e-books, or a music playing program like iTunes or Windows Media Player (which comes pre-installed with any version of Windows) for audio books. If you wish to borrow audio books from the library, you must have the Overdrive Media Console (free software found at http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/) downloaded onto your computer.
Can you burn audio books onto a CD?
Yes! As long as the audio book you are either borrowing or purchasing is a format that is compatible with a regular audio CD. If you are purchasing the audio book, you must also open the book once on your computer to authenticate your ownership before it will allow you to burn the file. You will also require a CD burning program (i.e. Windows Media Player or iTunes).
What is the availability of books like for an e-reader?
That depends. If you are looking to purchase a book, the availability depends on which company you are purchasing your e-book from. Purchasing an e-book is much like purchasing a book from a corporate book store. You have different availabilities at different times from different stores (i.e. Amazon, Chapters/Indigo etc). If you wish to borrow an e-book from your local library through Overdrive, the availability depends on the popularity of the book. Not unlike your library, if the book is not currently available, you may place a hold on the book so that you will be notified when the book is ready for your reading pleasure.
How do I download books onto my e-reader?
For information on how to purchase and borrow books, and to download them onto your e-reader, please see the blog post I’ve Got My E-Reader... Now What?
How many books does an e-reader hold? Can you expand the memory?
The number of books that each e-reader holds will vary with brand and type, as will your ability to expand the memory. Here are the book capacities for the three newest versions of the most popular e-readers:
Kobo Vox
|
Sony Reader Wi-Fi
|
Amazon Kindle Fire
|
Up to 5,000 books on
8GB of memory
|
Up to 1,200 books on
2GB of memory
|
Up to 6,000 books on
8GB of memory
|
Expandable with an
SD card up to 32GB
|
Expandable with a
micro SD card up to 32GB
|
Not expandable
|
Why do I need an e-reader if I already have a laptop?
You don’t. If you already have a desktop or laptop computer that is compatible with Adobe Digital Editions (system requirements can be found at http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/systemreqs/) then you are able to view e-books. The perks of having an e-reader are that they are much smaller than a laptop and clearly more portable than a desktop. Whether or not you can live with lugging around your laptop or being confined to your desktop is totally up to the individual, and will be the biggest factor when you decide whether or not you need an e-reader.
Can you change the voice on an audio book?
No. The audio book is pre-recorded with a voice actor doing the reading. The file that you download is, unfortunately, what you’re stuck with. If you need audio books that you can change the pitch or the speed of reading, please contact Kate Konkin - Seniors Programmes Coordinator to inquire about the use of a Daisy Player for those who are print impaired (print impaired include those who either cannot read a book or who cannot hold a book).
Do you need a home computer to sync borrowed books to your e-reader?
For some e-readers, yes. For e-readers like the KOBO Touch or Sony Reader PRS-505, you will need a home or laptop computer available originally download your e-book onto, and then sync to your e-reader.
For e-readers with app capabilities, like the KOBO Vox, you must download the Overdrive app directly onto the e-reader to be able to access your borrowed books.
Finally, the new Sony Reader WiFi has its own built in Library app that allows your to access and download your borrowed books directly to your e-reader. For more information regarding e-readers and how to use them, please see the blog article I've Got My e-Reader... Now What?.
Can I use a computer at the Library?
When using the Library's computers, how do I save files that I want to keep?
Can I print from a computer at the Library?
Yes. You may print from any Library computer at a cost of $0.20 per page for the first ten pages (black and white). Over ten pages the cost is reduced to $0.15 and more than fifty will provide a further discount to $0.10. Students printing pages for homework or school projects may print up to twenty pages at no charge. If you require more than twenty pages for homework, please see a member of staff. The cost of colour printing or copying is $1.00 a page with discounts applied if you print over 10 pages.
Can I use my laptop, tablet or other device at the Library?
How do I connect to the wireless network at the Library with my laptop?
Can I use the wireless network (WiFi) when the Library is closed?
Can I get computer help at the Library?
Can I get a computer-use course at the Library?
What is the best Internet email to use?
I want to buy my own computer but it's confusing. Should I buy a desktop PC or a notebook PC? And which is better? An Apple "MAC" computer or a Microsoft Windows computer?
I opened and printed a Microsoft Word document in the Word Processor on a Library Computer and it does not look the way I typed it. Why?
Can you print something for me on special stock paper (like transparencies, photo, heavy card, etc.?)
Can I return my books at any branch of the library?
How long can I keep materials?
Can I renew over the phone or online?
How many books or videos can I borrow at one time?
Do I need my card to use the computers?
What times are you open/closed?
Hours vary by branch.
I had a book that is past the due date. How much am I going to owe?
How much does it cost to join the library?
Can you get a specific book for me even if it's not in the library?
Can I buy my dog tag / burn permit at the library?
How can I find out about events at the Library?
How can I find out when new books are added to the collection?
Where can I find the Library's policies?
What is the Library's Mission Statement?
Can you tell me about the history of the Library?
Yes. All six branches of the County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives have computers that anyone can use for one hour at a time, or longer if no one is waiting. You do not need to book ahead (although you may in order to guarantee a specific time) and a library card is not required. The computers are all connected to high speed internet and have many applications. (Word processing, spreadsheet, media players etc.)
When using the Library's computers, how do I save files that I want to keep?
You cannot leave files on the library computers because they are for public use. However, you may use a USB Flash Drive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive). For most documents a 1GB (Gigabyte) drive is fine, but if you are storing photos, music and video, a larger drive is recommended. These can be purchased at reasonable cost (between $7 and $15) either online or at any store that carries computers and accessories.
Can I print from a computer at the Library?
Yes. You may print from any Library computer at a cost of $0.20 per page for the first ten pages (black and white). Over ten pages the cost is reduced to $0.15 and more than fifty will provide a further discount to $0.10. Students printing pages for homework or school projects may print up to twenty pages at no charge. If you require more than twenty pages for homework, please see a member of staff. The cost of colour printing or copying is $1.00 a page with discounts applied if you print over 10 pages.
Can I use my laptop, tablet or other device at the Library?
Yes. You may bring your own laptop and use it at any branch. In most branches there are a number of locations where you can access a power outlet to plug in your computer as well. Note that you cannot print a document from your laptop, however, you may put the document you would like to print on a USB Flash Drive, or any other media storage device, transfer it to a Library computer and print it from there.
How do I connect to the wireless network at the Library with my laptop?
Go to the wireless connection application on your laptop - the specifics depend on your operating system but it often looks like the images provided:
When you are connected, start a web browser and go to wherever you want on the network. If you continue to have problems, please see a member of staff.Can I use the wireless network (WiFi) when the Library is closed?
Yes, you may access the wireless network from outside even when the Library is closed.
Can I get computer help at the Library?
Yes, depending on the nature and extent of your problem. For simple use questions, feel free to ask any of the Library's staff. If it is a quick question they will be able to answer you. Should you require more complex help that requires further staff time, we ask that you make an appointment or request a computer training session. For specific computer hardware problems, we keep a computer consultant list on-hand. Many of them will help you with your problem at a very reasonable cost.
Can I get a computer-use course at the Library?
Yes. If you feel you need more help than the staff can provide quickly or just want to learn more about using a computer and the Internet, you may book a one-on-one tutorial at any branch. The IT Coordinator, Eric Pierce, also conducts regular computer skills workshops at both the Picton and Wellington branches. Call 613-476-5962 for more information or email: computerlab@peclibrary.org
What is the best Internet email to use?
You may use the Internet e-mail that is free with your home Internet Service Provider (ISP), or you may use one of the many free web-based email systems such as Google Mail (www.gmail.com) Microsoft Live Mail, also known as "Hotmail" (www.hotmail.com) or Yahoo Mail (www.mail.yahoo.com). One of the advantages to using a free web-based email is that you need not change your email address even if you change Internet Service Providers and you can always access your email from any computer, anywhere in the world, on the Internet. Conversely, a disadvantage is that if you cannot access the Internet, you cannot view saved messages, sent messages and so forth.
I want to buy my own computer but it's confusing. Should I buy a desktop PC or a notebook PC? And which is better? An Apple "MAC" computer or a Microsoft Windows computer?
This is a two part question and it is dependent on so many factors, such as your requirements, budget, etc. that it is difficult to make a general recommendation. The Library has both desktop and laptop computers with PC and Mac platforms to try and our IT department would be happy to work with you in order to find the computer you need at reasonable cost.
I opened and printed a Microsoft Word document in the Word Processor on a Library Computer and it does not look the way I typed it. Why?
To save money, the Library uses a free software package called "LibreOffice". It has a Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Presentation Graphics. It is good enough for most work but will not format some complex documents correctly. We have authentic Microsoft Office products on at least one staff and one patron computer at the Library so if you have an important document that needs to print exactly, see a member of staff to have it printed from one of these computers.
Can you print something for me on special stock paper (like transparencies, photo, heavy card, etc.?)
Yes, however the County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives has only basic paper materials available. Feel free to bring in your own stock materials that have been made to be used in a laser printer. Try to bring in the original box or envelope that the paper stock came in as the staff assisting you will then be able to set the printer for the specific material in order to get best results.
Can I return my books at any branch of the library?
Yes. We are one library with 6 branches so you may take out books from any branch and return to the branch of the library that is most convenient.
How long can I keep materials?
Loan period for books is 3 weeks, though special arrangements can be made should you need an extension. Videos and DVDs can be borrowed for one week. Check out our borrowing info for more details.
Can I renew over the phone or online?
Yes, you may renew over the phone at 613-476-5962 or online. To renew online, you must have a valid library card which will provide you with your 14-digit log-in number. You will also need your Personal Identification Number (PIN), which is often located on the back of your card or available from library staff.
How many books or videos can I borrow at one time?
The maximum number of books that can be taken out at one time is 10. The maximum number of videos or DVDs is 5.
Do I need my card to use the computers?
No, you do not need a library card to use the public computers or access the high-speed wireless service for your laptop or mobile device.
What times are you open/closed?
Hours vary by branch.
I had a book that is past the due date. How much am I going to owe?
We have a "No Fines" policy! We do, however, encourage and rely on donations.
How much does it cost to join the library?
Membership is free to anyone who lives, works, or plays in Prince Edward County. All services and programs are free unless specifically mentioned. You can sign up for a library card online.
Can you get a specific book for me even if it's not in the library?
Yes, we can get most books whether they are from another branch of our library or from another public library in Ontario through our interlibrary loan service.
Can I buy my dog tag / burn permit at the library?
Yes, you may purchase a dog tag or a burn permit at any branch of the County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives.
How can I find out about events at the Library?
Our events are regularly listed in the Whattam's Calendar in the local newspapers as well as on our online events calendar. You may also be added to our newsletter mailing list.
How can I find out when new books are added to the collection?
You can see the weekly additions on our website or receive regular e-mail notifications of new titles.
Where can I find the Library's policies?
What is the Library's Mission Statement?
The County of Prince Edward Public Library is committed to providing excellence in library services to the community. Access will be free, available to everyone and will provide the full range of modern library functionality. Information will be provided through both traditional resources and the latest in modern technology.
Can you tell me about the history of the Library?
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